Long before the coronavirus took hold in New York, businesses in the Brooklyn Navy Yard were bringing purpose, passion and innovation to the table daily. As New York City became the epicenter of the global pandemic, the ingenuity and tenacity in the industrial park kicked into high gear. Duggal Visual Solutions and Bednark Studio set the precedent with high-volume face shield production. The idea stemmed from a direct conversation between Duggal CEO Michael Duggal and Bednark CEO Michael Bednark, who realized that the two companies together had the production capabilities to convert from printing and graphics to personal protective equipment (PPE).
Brooklyn Roasting Company began donating and delivering coffee to hospitals across the city. Kings County Distillery switched from spirits to sanitizer. Now, indie shoe brand, Atoms, is producing non-medical face masks. The Atoms Everyday Mask is designed for comfort and reusability it can be washed by hand up to 30 times while also serving the greater good. The Navy Yard-based startup is not planning to make a profit from the new product, selling the masks at $10 each to cover material costs and donating one mask for each sold. Atoms has also donated sneakers to health care workers. 
Our office is in Brooklyn s Navy Yard because it s an interesting and inspiring place, Atoms co-founder Sidra Qasim told Forbes. There are a lot of artists, creatives, designers, and dancers in Brooklyn. It s been so rewarding for us. See a special report on Atoms from News 12 The Bronx.
